Second Best
by woodster93
Summary: Olivia is about to tie the knot, but someone thinks she is settling for second best and he will do anything he can to stop her making the biggest mistake of her life. Marrying the man who once arrested her.


He glanced across at the invitation on the passenger seat next to him and the handwritten words.

 _ **You're the only one who can stop this.**_

There had been no name and no clue who had sent it. He had only received it 4 days ago after returning from an overseas assignment, but the post mark had been 4 weeks earlier. The rage he had felt as he read it was like no other he had felt before. Not just because she was getting married because that did hurt as well, it was who she was marrying.

He knows it's his fault he should have contacted her sooner, he had wanted to. He had called her number so many times but hung up before she answered, scared of what she might say, and the longer it went on the harder it became. He tried again after his divorce but lost his nerve each time, thinking he had left it to long and she would hate him. He had been forced to leave his job, not her. But life doesn't always turn out the way you plan it. Sometimes it all goes to shit and that's what happened after he had left. He thought distancing himself from anything to do with the force and her was the answer. It meant they couldn't use him against her and try to ruin her career as well.

Being at home all the time put even more strain on the marriage. The guilt inside him over the shooting and ignoring Olivia, along with the fights at home finally got too much. He spent more time in bars than he did at home. It was after getting arrested for a bar fight that he sorted himself out. The arresting officer recognised him and called Cragen. No charges were ever filed and Cragen made him get help. Elliot had begged him not to tell Olivia how bad he had got. After months of rehab and therapy the FEDS approached him. They needed someone for an undercover mission and his name was mentioned. He took the job straight away. Olivia was getting on with her life without him. He had to do the same.

He had followed her career though from a distance it wasn't hard for him with the clearance he had with the FEDS. As soon as he heard about her kidnapping by Lewis he had flown back to New York. He got there just as they found her and he had visited her in hospital. She hadn't known nobody had. He had sneaked into the hospital ward and waited for everyone to leave, including Cassidy, before slipping into her room. His heart had broken seeing her lying there. He had sat with her for over an hour before leaving as quietly as he had come in, kissing her cheek softly. He had had every intention in the world of talking to her when he came to the hospital but seeing her with Cassidy made him realise she had moved on, she was happy finally, and he didn't want to ruin that.

If this had been Cassidy she had been marrying, he could have handled that, accepted it and would have tried to be happy about it, but this…..He picked up the invitation reading the top words in gold writing.

 _ **Edward Tucker and Olivia Benson are pleased to invite you to their wedding….**_

"Like Fuck!" he said out loud scrunching the invitation up and throwing it out the car window as he looked up to the hotel in front of him. He had made calls and found out where the wedding was being held before flying in. He had hoped to go to her apartment and talk to her there, to ask her what the hell she was doing, but his flight had been delayed and he hadn't got in to New York till a couple of hours ago.

His phone beeped and he read the text from his friend in tech department who was hacking into the hotel bookings for him.

 _ **Room 505, good luck.**_

He climbed out the car and ran across the street towards the side ally of the hotel and towards the service entrance. He didn't want to risk bumping into someone he might know. He ran up the stairs two at time till he got to the floor. He looked down at his watch, only an hour until the service started. Opening the door he looked down the corridor, finding it empty he moved quickly towards the room.

He stood staring at the numbers on the door, his heart pounding in his chest, he could feel sweat running down his back, and he felt sick as he raised his hand to knock. She was going to hate him for this. This is what she had always wanted, to find someone, get married…. To have a family. And here he was about to ruin that day. It was supposed to be the happiest day of her life and he was going to ruin it.

He lowered his hand and stepped back from the door.

"She is just settling for him," said a familiar voice down the corridor. He turned towards it.

"Don," he said stepping away from the door and towards his former Captain. "You sent the invitation?"

"She can't marry him Elliot. She doesn't love him," he said not answering him

"She must feel something if she said yes to him."

Don chuckled.

"Tucker was there when no one else was. He saw an opportunity to move in when she was at a low point in her life. He has always been a sneaky little worm, we all know that. He got in her head, told her he had changed. He wined and dined her, made her feel special. He was a constant in her life someone she had known for years."

"So the hell we're Munch and Fin but i don't see her marrying either of them two, so why the hell Tucker?"

"Because he asked her, he promised her a stable family life with the white picket fence. Everything she had always dreamed of."

"So why send me the invite saying I'm the only one who can stop this. If it's what she wants then why the hell stop it?"

"Because it's not Ed Tucker she wants that life with, the person she wants that life with left her five years ago without a word."

Elliot opened his mouth to speak but nothing came out.

"He left and her world fell apart. Everything she had known changed that day and so did she. The ways she acted, the way she was victims and the men she let into her life. You may not have been together romantically but you broke her heart, Elliot."

"I … I couldn't stay. It broke me as well leaving, you know that. You saw the state I was in."

"I know it did, but you also told me when you sorted your life out you where coming back for her…. You never did."

"I tried. I tried to call her. I went to her apartment, sat across the street for days watching her come and go, too scared to talk to her. I know I screwed up."

"Yes you did, and now it's time to put it right," he said looking at his watch. "You have forty minutes before I'm due towalk her down that aisle. So I suggest you grow a pair, man the hell up and get your partner back," he said turning around and walking towards the elevator.

"And what if she doesn't want her partner back? What if I left it to long?" he asked after him.

"Just stop her from making the biggest mistake of her life."

"Shit," he cursed turning back to the room. "What the hell have I got to lose," he said to himself raising his hand and knocking loudly as he willed himself to stop shaking.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Olivia stood in front of the mirror and stared at her reflection.

"You look beautiful," said Lucy from behind her a big smile on her face.

"Thank you," she said but there was no smile on her face.

"Ed is a lucky guy."

Olivia nodded and smoothed her hands over her dress. She reached up and unclasped the necklace around her neck and held it in her hands looking at the words on it.

 _Semper Fi._

She took a deep breath as she laid it on the dressing table next to her and picked up the necklace Ed had bought her. She had received it this morning. She fiddled with the clasp.

"You need a hand with that?" asked Lucy.

"Erm no, the err the clasp is broken, I will have to tell Ed," she lied putting it back in the box and picking up small medallion necklace again and putting it on.

"I still can't believe you are marrying Tucker," said Casey walking towards her with two glasses of champagne.

"Me either," she said turning around and taking the glass from her and downing it in one go. Casey looked at her wide eyed. "Anymore?" she asked her.

"Yeah," Casey laughed turning away and walking out the bedroom, just as there was a loud knock at the door.

"I'll get it," said Lucy, as Casey poured Olivia another drink and Olivia turned back to the mirror looking at herself. "Can I help you?" she heard Lucy ask.

"Lucy who is it?"she called from the bedroom.

"Hey you can't…" gasped Lucy making Casey look up.

"Oh fuck," she said under her breath when she saw Elliot walking in before drinking the full glass she was holding.

Without a word she nodded towards the bedroom and he strode quickly towards it without saying a thing entering the room and slamming the door behind him.

"Who the hell was that?" asked Lucy a little shaken by what had just happened.

"That there is what you call complicated," she smiled pouring her and Lucy another glass of champagne.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Olivia looked in the mirror when the door slammed and saw Elliot in the reflection. Her heart began to pound and she felt faint. Five years since she had seen or heard from him. She was torn between running to him and holding him and punching him. The anger won.

"Get out," she said without facing him.

Elliot just stood staring at her trying to control his breathing. She looked stunning in her wedding dress and it had left him breathless.

"I said get the hell out," she told him again, but Elliot shook his head.

"Why?" he asked her his voice cracking slightly. "Why, that prick?"

Olivia calmly picked up her eye make-up and leant forward towards the mirror and began applying it, trying her best to stop her hand shaking.

"Close the door on your way out," she told him. Her voice sounding a lot calmer than she actually was, her legs were like jelly and her heart was racing.

"I'm not going anywhere till I get some answers."

Olivia slammed down her make-up and spun around.

"You don't deserve any answers now. Get. Out!" she told him. "Or I will call security and have you thrown out."

"Why Tucker?"

Olivia glared at him.

"Have you lost your fucking mind?" he asked getting angry and stepping towards her. "Are you so desperate for that white picket fence and the perfect family life that your willing to marry the fucker who tried to throw you jail for murder."

His head snapped to the side as she slapped him hard across the face.

"At least he didn't walk on me after 12 years," she hissed. "Now get the fuck out!" she yelled.

Elliot chuckled and shook his head.

"I'm not going anywhere Benson, until you start talking sense. Until you can make me understand how you could even start a relationship with that man never mind marry him. I mean Cassidy was bad enough….. But Tucker, fuck me," he laughed. "You made some bad choices in the past but to marry the man who tried over and over to ruin not only our lives and careers, but those of your co workers and so called friends…. That's fucking desperate."

"Get out," she said again breathing hard.

"What happened Olivia, did you wake up one morning and realise time was passing you by, that you weren't getting any younger….."

"I swear to god you better get out…."

"Or what Olivia, you gonna call your fiancé to come to your rescue, get him to throw me out, to make me leave."

Olivia just glared at him as he stepped even closer.

"Well here's some news for you. Your boyfriend has already got me to leave once, he finally done what he always wanted and forced me to leave the force." He saw the shocked look on her face. "Oh I guess he forgot to tell you that bit as he promised you the world," he smirked. "As he whispered sweet nothings in your ear and wormed his way into your bed."

Olivia glared at him as he talked.

"I bet it was a great ego boost for him. He fucked up my life then a few years later he gets to fuck you as well."

He stumbled back as her fist connected with his face and he tasted blood. Olivia turned around to face the mirror again leaning on the table in front of it, her body was shaking.

"Please leave," she said quietly. "Just leave."

"I can't. I can't let you marry him."

"And you can't stop me. This is my life and my choice."

"He isn't what you want. You hated him as much as I did. People like him don't suddenly change."

"He was there for me."

"Only because he got rid of everyone else you cared about one way or the , Don, Munch…Amaro."

"No," she said shaking her head. "Your wrong, Don retired…."

"Because Tucker questioned his leadership, he said he couldn't do his job that he was too close to his unit. Don couldn't take it anymore, he didn't need the stress."

"You have been in touch with Don?" she asked looking hurt.

Elliot nodded. "He was called when I was arrested for fighting. He helped me sort myself out."

"He never mentioned it."

"I asked him not to. I was embarrassed and didn't want you to see me like I was. I kept in touch with him after that, and he told me what Tucker had done."

She tried not to show how hurt she was that he hadn't come to her when he was in trouble. "Well Munch, he retired….."

"Olivia that's bullshit and you know it, he is still working in law enforcement you know that. Tucker sent a report in saying he was too old and to eccentric for the job in SVU, they needed a younger team, and Amaro…..Tucker basically told him the same as he told me. Leave or I will take Benson down with you."

"No," she said shaking her head. "That's….That's not true."

"Olivia he had a hand in all of us leaving one way or another and then once we were all gone he made his move. I wouldn't be surprised if that was his plan all along, take away all the people you care about, so you had no one, and then make a move on you."

Olivia turned to face him.

"Maybe Ed was right," she sniffed. "Don was too close to us and he had a shit few years, retirement was the best thing for him, he is happy now. Munch is eccentric and he now loves his new job. And Nick he….. He is happy with his family."

"Jesus Christ have you heard yourself Olivia, your defending a man you have hated for years, a man you couldn't bear to be in the same room with. Tucker has been gunning for the SVU department for years, taking it apart bit by bit to get what he wants."

"And what the hell is that?" she snapped.

"You!" he yelled. "He got rid of everyone you cared about and then moved in. He put you in charge, got on your side and you fell for it all because you had no one else, because every person you were close to had left. He played you over and over and you fell for it hook, line and sinker."

Olivia shook her head.

"No, he has changed," she told him. "He isn't the same as he was all those years ago. He cares for me and Noah; he would do anything for us. He has been there for me….. After all that shit with Lewis the second time, he was there."

"Olivia he tried to put you in fucking prison. He used your assault in Seal view against you to try and get you to crack. He handcuffed you and paraded you through the squad room as he read you your rights. He tried to get me done for sexually assaulting a teenager and for killing that kid I chased. He finally got me over shooting Jenny. I was told by Tucker if I tried to come back then he would review every case we had ever worked on and he would take you down with me."

Olivia stood in silence as he talked.

"He said he would use how close we were against you that he would reopen case after case that we worked on until he found enough on you to have you removed from the department. He was out to get you Liv. I had no choice but to leave. I left so you didn't have to go through that."

She let out a shaky breath as he finished talking.

"Are you finished?" she asked him and Elliot nodded. "Ed was doing his job, over the twelve years as partners we didn't exactly play by the rule book. Ed was just doing what he had to do. You have always hated him for doing that."

Elliot stood there gobsmacked as he listened to her defending him.

"I don't fucking believe this. Where is the Olivia Benson that I worked with, it's like he has brain washed you."

"He has changed, he isn't the same man as he was, people do change Elliot. He is kind, loving and great with Noah…."

"Do you love him?" he asked cutting her off.

"I know we don't have a great history, but we have got past that, and we are now looking to the future. We have both changed."

"Do you love him?"

She ignored his question again. "You had no right to come here, dragging up the past when I haven't seen or heard from you in five years. You haven't been there for me, you just left. I called you, left messages, sent emails, I done everything I could to get in touch with you…."

"Do you love him?"

He could see her getting angry as he kept asking her the same thing.

"When you look at Tucker do your knees go weak, does your heart beat so hard it feels like it's going to burst out your chest. When you're not with him do you think about him all the time, do you wish he was with you. Do you look at him and think this is it, this is the man I want to spend the rest of my life with, till death do us part," he walked towards her slowly as he talked. "Or do you look at him and think, I wish you were someone else, see someone else's face."

Olivia held back the tears as he talked everything he was saying was true.

"Do you lie in bed next to him every night and wish it was someone else laying next to you. Cause I know how that feels and it fucking hurts. I have done it for almost 17 years, Liv. I lay next to my wife wishing it was someone else and I was to chicken shit to do anything about it. Then by the time I got the courage up to make that change and leave her, you were with Cassidy."

He heard her breath catch as he finally admitted it was her he had wanted.

"I came to see you and saw you laughing and smiling with Cassidy and I realised I was too late and my heart broke. Maybe I shouldn't have been such a coward and I should have walked up to you and just told you. Maybe I should have told you the night I came to the hospital and sat with you after Lewis, or when I stood at the back of the hall at your Sergeant promotion, but I didn't, because you seemed happy with Cassidy and I couldn't ruin that. I couldn't be that selfish."

"So why now?" she asked quietly. She had so many questions to ask him regarding the hospital visit and her promotion. "Why now when I am about to get married?"

"Because Tucker isn't who you want," he said lifting his hand towards her and taking hold of the necklace around her neck. He looked down to the table and the necklace Tucker had given her, with the simple note _Love Ed._ "Me and you," he said looking back into her eyes. "We are always settling for second best," he said swallowing hard keeping his eyes fixed on hers. "We always kept our feelings hidden to scared to tell each other. So I stayed in a loveless marriage and you went on dates with men you always knew wouldn't last."

He stepped even closer and put his hand on her hip. "I was such an idiot for not admitting my feelings, when I separated from Kathy the first time, and I was an even bigger idiot for not doing this," he whispered a smile on his lips.

"Doing wha…"

She never got to finish as his lips covered hers. Olivia froze at first not moving, not believing that it was finally happening after all these years, as his lips moved against her until she finally kissed him back. His hand went to the back of her neck and he pulled her to him deepening the kiss. He slipped his tongue into her mouth and finding hers as she moaned into his mouth.

The kiss was slow and passionate, unlike anything she had experienced before. His lips were so gentle but commanding, she felt herself going to dizzy from the lack of oxygen as they finally broke apart and dropped their foreheads forward as they gasped for breath.

"That's what love feels like Liv. So I will ask you again. Do you love him?" he whispered against her lips.

She pulled back from him and looked at him through the tears that were running down her face.

"Please…..Just…Just go," she told him, her voice breaking.

"Liv?"

"Just go!" she yelled pushing her hands against his chest. "Why do you always do this, why do you always try and fuck up every relationship I am in," she sobbed hardly able to speak. "You had years to kiss me, to come to me and tell me how you feel. You're a fucking selfish bastard Elliot Stabler. Just leave me the hell alone like you have for the last five years!" she screamed hitting both hands against his chest. "Get Out!"

Elliot looked at her, tears running down his own face.

"I love you Liv," he said his voice breaking. "I know my timing sucks, I know I should have come to you earlier, but I'm an idiot and I'm begging you don't do this."

"I don't care," she said her voice hard and cold. "Your too late, now get out, I have a wedding to get to."

He looked at her and swallowed hard, he felt sick and he had a pain in his chest like he had never felt before. He nodded slightly as he stepped back. "Okay," he whispered. "Okay, I give up" he said as he turned towards the door and pulled it open. "Have a nice life," he said without looking back and walking through closing it behind him.

Olivia watched him leave and the door close before she dropped to the floor and cried.

He looked around the room at the people all staring at him. Don, John, Fin, Casey and Lucy holding Noah.

"I…. I tried," he told them wiping his eyes and walking past them towards the door.

"Stabler," said Fin and Elliot stopped as he opened the door. "Don't walk out on her again."

"I should never have come back in the first place," he said walking out and slamming the door behind him.

They all stood staring at each other at a loss for words.

The door to the bedroom opened about five minutes later and Olivia came out. They could all tell she had been crying.

"Shouldn't you all be downstairs and seated by now?" she asked them all giving them a small smile.

"Yeah…..We just, we thought," said Fin trying to think of what to say. "Well we didn't know….."

"Look at my handsome little man," she said cutting him off and walking over to Lucy and Noah and taking her son in her arms.

"Mommy you look pretty," he smiled.

"Thank you baby," she said kissing the top of his head. "Are you going to go downstairs with Lucy, Fin, John and Casey?"

He nodded and she put him down and he ran to John grabbing his hand.

"See you down there," she said to them as they all left.

"Olivia," said Don.

"Don't," she said holding up her hand. "I don't know who told him about the wedding, but him coming here changes nothing," she said as her hand went to her necklace and she held it tightly. "I'm marrying Ed," she said as a lone tear rolled down her face.

"So why are you crying?" he asked her reaching up and wiping away the tear.

She shook her head trying to clear it and forcing a smile. "Let's go."

"It's not too late to back out," he told her as she linked his arm.

"Why would I want to do that?" she asked. "Just because Elliot Stabler decides to finally make an appearance back in my life. I will tell you what I told him, it's too late… He was too late," she said walking out the door.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Large whisky," he said to the hotel barman slamming money down on the bar. The whisky was placed in front of him and he downed it in one shot feeling the burn as he swallowed it. "Keep them coming," he told him. He looked into the mirror across the bar his eyes were red and still glistening with tears. "Fuck," he sighed dropping his head forward.

"Well, well, well, look what finally crawled out from under its rock," said a voice from behind him.

Elliot's whole body tensed up and he gripped the bar as he lifted his head and looked in the mirror. Ed Tuckers smiling face the first thing he sees.

"Fuck off Tucker," he growled picking up the whisky and drinking it slamming the glass down. The barman refilled it.

"So which one of them called you, Fin, Munch or Cragen?" he laughed. "If it was Fin I guess I will need to find a way to get rid of him as well," he smirked.

Elliot spun around glaring at him.

"Back the hell up," he warned him.

"Or what Stabler, you gonna hit me. I bet you want to huh," he said straightening up the flower on his chest. "I mean by the look on your face and the tears in your eyes, I guess it didn't go very well with Olivia…..Sorry I should have said my soon to be wife, Olivia" he smiled.

Elliot felt the rage building inside him as Tucker stared at him.

"In less than 30 minutes she will be Olivia Tucker," he grinned. "It has a kinda nice ring to it doesn't it Olivia Tucker."

Elliot felt his heart pounding as his blood rushed through his body and he took deep breaths trying to control his anger.

"Is that blood on your shirt?" Tucker asked then looking at his swollen lip and he started to laugh. "My girl has a good right hook," he said leaning forward. "My girl. Olivia Benson is mine Stabler, all mine," he said picking up Elliot's drink and downing it. "And there is nothing you can do about it," he said leaning in and whispering to him. "Guess what Stabler…..I win," he said before walking away.

"You really think she is yours?" Elliot called after him.

Tucker turned towards him and saw Elliot smiling.

"Well it's me she is marrying."

Elliot nodded. "But it's not you she loves she never has and never will."

Tucker shook his head laughing. "Just admit that you lost Stabler, she doesn't want you."

Elliot shrugged. "Look at the necklace she is wearing," he told him as Tucker turned and went to walk away. "She will never be yours!" he shouted after him. "I will always be in her head."

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Olivia stood at the front of the room in front of all their friends with Tucker. She could hear words being spoken but she wasn't taking anything in. All she could think about was Elliot and his words, what he had told her. He would never lie to her, which meant everything he had told her about Tucker was true. He had taken away her friends, the people she counted as her family. She looked up from the floor and looked at Tucker who was looking at her a small smile on his face. She was stood about to make her wedding vows and all she could think about was Elliot's lips on hers and how she felt. She had never felt like that kissing Tucker…..Ever.

"Olivia, you okay?" he asked her.

"What?"

"Are you okay?"

She had been stood in silence instead of repeating her lines to him.

"Yes…I'm fine," she said reaching up and running her fingers over the necklace."Carry on," she said looking around the room at her friends. Her breath hitched as her eyes reached the back of the room and locked on Elliot who was stood at the end of the makeshift aisle.

"You got to be kidding me," said Tucker under his breath as Elliot walked slowly towards them.

"Oh boy, this is gonna be good," said Casey to Melinda. "I thought he had left."

"Somebody get him out of here," snapped Tucker. Some of the guys from IAB stood up from their seats in front of Fin.

"Sit the hell down," hissed Fin. "Let him fight his own battle." The men turned to look at him. "I said, sit the fuck down," he growled. The men sat down.

"You never answered my question," said Elliot.

"Elliot please, just go," she begged him.

"Not until you answer," he smiled at her. "Do you love him?"

Tucker huffed "Of course she loves me, we're getting married," he snapped. "Now leave."

"Let me hear it from you Liv," he said his voice cracking. "Tell me you love him and I will go. I will leave you alone."

"El…"

"Just say it Liv, how hard can it be?" he asked stepping even closer to her. "Your about to marry him."

"I….I…"

Elliot smiled at her "Does your heart pound in your chest when he kisses you, do your legs turn to jelly, does he take your breath away. Because that's what happened to me when we kissed, I couldn't breathe, it felt like I was finally home."

A small gasp went around the room at the admission of them kissing.

"What!" snapped Tucker. "What the hell is he on about?"

"I know your pissed with me, because I left you and I deserve that, but there isn't a day that goes by that I don't think about you, about how I screwed everything up. But I'm here now and I'm begging you don't marry him. You don't need to settle anymore," he said ignoring the tears running down his face. "Neither of us do anymore. There is nothing to stop us anymore. If there is even the tiniest bit of doubt about what you are doing, then please don't do it."

He stepped forward and reached for the necklace.

"Always faithful," he whispered looking her in the eyes. "And I always will be and I will always love you, no matter what you decide today. But please if you don't love him, then don't marry him. Don't settle for second best."

He dropped the necklace and leant forward kissing her softly on her lips, tasting the tears as their lips touched.

"Get the fuck away from her! She is fucking mine, I made sure of that," yelled Tucker swinging a punch at him. Elliot ducked and swung his fist catching Tucker on the side of his face sending him sprawling across the floor.

"I'm going," he smiled at Olivia and for the first time that day she smiled back at him. "You coming?" he asked her his eyes twinkling as they looked at her.

"Of course she isn't coming," said Tucker starting to panic from the floor as he wiped his hand across his lips.

Elliot and Olivia kept their eyes locked together, as they both nodded.

"There doing that thing they do," chuckled Munch to Lucy.

"What thing?"

"Talking with their eyes, it would get so annoying when they worked together. It's like they knew what each other were thinking without speaking.

"Ask me a final time?" she asked him.

"Do you love him?"

She looked down at Tucker on the floor then back to Elliot a smile on her face. Without a word she turned to Lucy and took Noah from her.

"Liv," said Tucker standing up. "What you doing?"

"Not settling for second best anymore," she told him taking off her engagement ring and handing it to him before turning to Elliot and reaching for his hand. "Let's go," she told him and Elliot just nodded squeezing her hand as he led her up the aisle and away from Tucker.

"Oh and El," she said as they left the room.

"Yeah," he grinned.

"I love you," she smiled finally saying the words she had never said to anyone before and truly meant it.


End file.
